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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29162376">i'll call you home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hollyhobbit101/pseuds/hollyhobbit101'>hollyhobbit101</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lone Star Season 2 tags [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Episode Tag, Episode: s02e03 Hold The Line, Family Feels, Fix-It, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Season/Series 02 Spoilers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:47:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,786</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29162376</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hollyhobbit101/pseuds/hollyhobbit101</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Growing up, TK had always believed his dad was invincible. All kids do, he supposes, but his dad had been special. His dad was a superhero.</p><p>Looking at him now, TK’s hit with just how vulnerable Owen truly is.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Grace Ryder/Judd Ryder (9-1-1 Lone Star), Owen Strand &amp; TK Strand</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lone Star Season 2 tags [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2127855</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>134</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>inspired by <a href="https://officereyes.tumblr.com/post/642013029289082880/someone-else-said-it-too-but-i-really-think-we">this post</a> by @officereyes on tumblr</p><p>title from call you home by mangas colorado</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Growing up, TK had always believed that his dad was invincible. All kids do, he supposes, but his dad had been special. His dad was a superhero.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Looking at him now, TK’s hit with just how vulnerable he truly is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s not that he's never realised before; Owen wasn’t as good as he thought at hiding the side effects from the cancer treatment. TK had heard him throwing up into the toilet at all hours, had seen the tired, drawn look on his face when he thought no one else was around. He’d let him keep up the charade at the time, not wanting to cause his dad any more unnecessary stress, but he wonders now if he’d made a mistake.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He has to refrain from checking his watch again, knowing it’ll only have been five minutes or so since the last time. But every minute his dad doesn’t wake up only increases his worry, and he briefly feels guilty for those days Owen must have spent by TK’s bedside when he was shot.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Dad,” he mutters, leg bouncing with pent up anxiety. The medics in the tent are giving him the side eye, but none of them have said anything - yet. TK knows he ought to be helping with the clean-up; now that the out-of-state teams have left, it’s all hands on deck for the Texas crews, but the 126 are covering for him and he thinks the chief is cutting him a bit of slack anyway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Not that TK could focus on work at the moment even if he tried.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TK sighs and scrubs his hands over his face, not caring about the ash and grime he must be smearing everywhere. He’s exhausted. He can probably count on one hand the number of hours he’s slept this past week, and now that the adrenaline is fading from his body, he knows it’s only a matter of time before he crashes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In truth, the only things keeping him awake right now are the fear of missing his dad waking up and the promise of a bed when he gets back home to Carlos.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His phone pings in his pocket and he pulls it out, smiling when he sees the texts from his boyfriend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope your dad gets better soon. Glad to hear you’re okay.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Do you know when you’ll be coming back?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TK grimaces. He wants nothing more than to be back. He and Carlos have facetimed a couple of times and they’ve kept up a steady text stream, but it’s not the same. He misses him so damn much.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Not sure,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he types. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Clean up might take a while but we hope they’ll clear us soon. Miss you x</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A groan from the bed pulls his attention away from his phone. His dad’s head rolls on the pillow, his eyes slowly blinking open. TK leans forward, gripping his dad’s hand tightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dad? Dad, you’re okay, it’s okay. I’m here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Owen frowns, blinking a few more times before his gaze focuses on TK. “TK -” He coughs harshly, and TK grabs a water bottle, holding it gently to his lips. His dad pouts at the implication that he can’t do it himself, but TK just sends him a warning look. It feels weird, and he doesn’t miss the irony of the situation; normally, </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span>would be the one pouting and protesting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s happening?” his dad asks once the coughing has abated. “The fire?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Everything’s okay,” TK replies. “There was some rain overnight; we were able to get it under control while you were out. The crews from other states are shipping out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The 118, have they gone yet?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TK frowns. “I-I don’t- I don’t know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Owen begins to push himself up. “I’ve got to go find out, I need to talk to Hen.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TK gently shoves him back down, rising from his seat. “You’re not going anywhere. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll </span>
  </em>
  <span>go. The others will want to know you’re awake anyway.” He sighs and attempts a smile. “Please, Dad.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Owen hesitates a second before relenting, lying back down on the bed. “Thank you, son.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TK nods then leaves the tent, sighing deeply the second he steps outside. There’s a weight off his shoulders now that his dad’s awake and he feels lighter than he has since he first heard the news. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s enough to energise him to work, so they can get home.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>A day and a half later, they’re on the road back to Austin. Most of the crew - save Judd, who volunteered to drive the three and a half hour journey - are already asleep, but TK has something he needs to do first.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“TK?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He smiles as he hears Carlos’s voice through his phone, leaning his head against the truck window and closing his eyes. “Hey.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“What’s up?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Carlos asks. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Everything okay?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TK nods, futile though the gesture is. “Yeah. We’re, uh, we’re actually leaving San Angelo now. Should be back at the station in a few hours.” He stifles a yawn, shaking his head in an attempt to stay awake.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’ll meet you there.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to -”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I want to.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Carlos laughs. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“And TK?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Get some rest. You’re falling asleep.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How do you know?” TK protests, despite the fact that Carlos is, actually, correct. “You can’t see me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Call it intuition,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Carlos says drily. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I’ll see you soon.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“See you.” TK smiles and cuts the call, shoving his phone back in his pocket before he can drop it. He shifts in his seat, sighing deeply as he gets comfortable, and finally gives in to the pull of sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s snoring in thirty seconds flat.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i’m planning on doing a follow up to this at some point during the week which i’m really excited to share!</p><p>find me/prompt me on tumblr <a href="https://morganaspendragonss.tumblr.com/">@morganaspendragonss</a>!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>TK comes home to Carlos</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i'll be honest writing this was like pulling teeth but it's done now lmao. hope it turned out okay!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There’s a welcome party waiting for them when Judd pulls the fire truck into the station. They all come over to meet them as they file out of the truck, wide smiles on their faces. TK spots Carlos instantly, his heart aching as he watches him greet the team - a pat on the shoulder from his dad, a fist bump from Marjan - and it’s all TK can do to avoid pushing past Mateo to get to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Just beyond him, Judd is lifting Grace off her feet, both of them laughing. When he sets her down, they stay wrapped up in each other, murmuring softly. His parents are standing apart from the rest, conversing lowly, his mom reaching up to run a hand through his dad’s hair. It’s no less weird seeing them together, but TK thinks he’s beginning to get used to it. Maybe.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nancy and Tommy are there, too, Nancy’s smile not quite reaching her eyes. It’s a sharp reminder of Tim’s funeral, all of them upset at having missed it. Tim deserved better.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, Mateo’s gone from his path, and TK falls into Carlos’s arms - literally, as he trips on his way out of the truck, hampered both by his exhaustion and his desire to get to Carlos as fast as possible. He flushes as the team immediately pounce on the incident, but he finds he’s able to tune out their jibes pretty easily. He’s looking at Carlos, after all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey stranger,” Carlos murmurs, stroking his thumb against TK’s cheek. TK leans into the touch, briefly closing his eyes and sighing. When he opens them again, Carlos is watching him with a small smile on his face, one that never fails to get TK’s heart racing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He winds his arms around Carlos’s neck and leans up to brush their noses together. “Hi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And when they kiss, TK knows he is home again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Carlos’s arms are firm around his waist, pulling them close as he deepens the kiss, so that there’s not even a whisper of air between them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I never want to be away for that long again,” TK says when they break apart, though neither of them move away. He buries his head in Carlos’s neck, breathing in his scent, just savouring being close to his boyfriend again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Carlos laughs. “It was only a week.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Too long.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Behind them, Mateo makes gagging noises. TK flips him off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, the PDA in here is officially too much,” Paul declares, though he’s clearly fighting off a smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll say,” Marjan adds. “I’m out before it gets truly disgusting.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Amen.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The others go to head to the showers, but Paul stops and turns at the last second. “By the way, Reyes, Mrs Ryder ma’am?” he says. “Y'all are gonna stink. Just so you know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TK just burrows closer into Carlos. “Damage has already been done,” he mumbles. “Can we just go now?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Carlos moves his hands to TK’s shoulders, peeling them apart. “Much as I would love to,” he says, “if you think I’m letting you within a foot of my car before you’ve showered, you’ve got another thing coming.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TK’s mouth drops open. “That’s so </span>
  <em>
    <span>mean</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Carlos.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, it’s nice to hear that someone else here has common sense,” Grace says. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TK startles; he hadn’t noticed the Ryders’ approach, but they’re standing right next to him and Carlos. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Judd looks fondly down at Grace. “So y’all are ganging up on us now?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Someone has to tell you these things, my love,” she responds. “Carlos and I have been swapping tips while you’ve been gone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TK shares an incredulous look with Judd, but then Judd just shakes his head affectionately and lightly cuffs TK on the back of his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on, loverboy,” he says. “Sooner we do as they say, sooner we can get home.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TK grumbles, but follows after Judd to the showers. Much as he wishes he were on his way home with Carlos, he can’t deny it feels good to get out of his soot-covered uniform and step under the spray, a week’s worth of grime running off his body and down the drain.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He scrubs himself off three times over, and by the time he’s dressed again in his comfiest hoodie and sweats, TK’s pretty sure he’s never been cleaner. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Carlos is waiting for him, an arm automatically wrapping across TK’s shoulders. TK leans into him, his own arm slipping around Carlos’s waist. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I should tell my dad that I’m leaving with you,” he says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He knows,” Carlos replies. “I told him while you were still showering. Actually, I’m pretty sure he and your mom have already gone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TK frowns. “Doesn’t sound like him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think your mom forced him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That </span>
  <em>
    <span>does </span>
  </em>
  <span>sound like her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Carlos hums, smiling at him. TK returns the gesture, leaning closer, his tired body refusing to support itself on its own. Carlos drops a kiss on the top of his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Ty,” he whispers, walking them to his car. “Let’s go home.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TK sighs contentedly, his eyes briefly slipping closed. “I am home.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>find me on tumblr <a href="https://morganaspendragonss.tumblr.com/">@morganaspendragonss!</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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